Air-control device for air-operated sheet-feeding mechanisms



Ap l0, 1928. c. w. TREMPER Y AIR CONTROL DEVICE FOR AIR OPERATED SHEETZFEEDIING- MECHANISMS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1927 Ap 1o, 192s.

C. W. TREMPER AIR CONTROL DEVICE FOR AIR vGPERATED SHEET FEEDIG MECHANISMS Filed July v. 1927 esneets-sheet 2 April l0, 1928. 1,665,723

c. w. TREMPER AIR CONTRO; DEVICE FOR AIR OPERATED SHEET FEEDING MECHANISMS Filed Jul v. 192g 1,3* A 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Naw@ QM April 1o, 192s. y 1,665,723

C. W. TREMPER l AIR CONTROL DEVICE' FOR AIR OPERATED S'HEET FEEDING UECHANISKS File@ July' '7. 192?l 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 1o, 192s C. W. TREMPER AIR CONTROL DEVICE FOR AIR OPERATED SHEET .FEEDING MEQHANISMS gs heats-snee y Filed July '7 Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES 'FS/I. TREMPER, OF NEVI HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TREMPER- SHIELDS CO., OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

AIR-CONTROL DEVICE FOR AIR-OPERATED SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISMS.

Application led July 7,

My invention relates to an improved aircontrol device for air-operated sheet-feeding mechanisms, the objectbeing to produce, for the purpose described, a mechanism ot superior simplicity, compactness, accessibility tor repair and adjustment, responsiveness in action, adaptability to compensate for wear, and distinguished in particular by its construction so as to leave the main air-pipe sealed to the atmosphere while opening the extension air-pipe thereto.

lVith these ends in view, my invention consists in an air-control device t'or air-operated sheet-feeding mechanisms characterized by its adapt-ation to leave the main air-pipe closed to the atmosphere when the extension air-pipe is opened thereto, whereby normal pressures in the main air-pipe are maintained under all operating conditions.

My invention further consists in a device of the character described, constructed and adapted so that it can be cut out of operation only at one point and that at the completion of any one cycle of its operation.

My invention further consists in a device characterized as above described, the valvemembers ot which have plane co-operating Jfaces provided with air-ports brought into and out ot registration by the movement of one ot the said valve-members with respect to the other.

My invention further consists in a mechanism characterized as described and having certain other details ot construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken face view ot my improved mechanism in position to seal the main air-pipe to the atmosphere and open the extension air-'pipe thereto;

Fig. 2 is a broken view in horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a broken view in inside end elevationof the mechanism with the drivingand rock-shafts in section;

Fig. 4 is a broken plan view of the mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 8 but showing the detent and latch co-acting to hold the mechanism out of play;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to but less aon'iprehensive than Fig. 1, showing the 1927. Serial No. 203,971.

mechanism cut out of play, as in the preceding figure; A

Fig. 7 is ay face view, corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing the oscillating valveplate in the position in which its air-port is registered with the air-port of the fixed valve-plate;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 g

Fig. 9 is a view in vertical section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the layout of a sheet-feeding mechanism, including tour unit-mechanisms constructed in accordance with my invention,l two of them being installed 'for vacuum-control and two of them for compressed-air control.

In carrying out my invention, as herein shown, I employ a vertically-arranged stationary extension-line valve-member 15 having a flat offsetting bearing-surface 16, this member being provided with bosses 1T and 18 respectively receiving a rock-shaft 19 and a drive-shaft 20, by which the said valvemember 15 is supported in the machineframe 21. The said valve-member is provided with an extension-line air-port 22 elongated in the vertical plane and opening into a threaded socket 23 in a boss 2a ot the said member, the said socket receiving the, threaded inner end of a coupling-nipple 25 projecting outwardly from it and, in turn, receiving a flexible air-pipe 26 forming what I will term, for convenience, the extensionpipe of my improved device. The bearingsurface 16 aforesaid is laterally extended in its plane to form a seal 16, the purpose ot' which will be hereafter explained.

The said air-port 22 co-acts with a corresponding vertically-elongated main-line airport 27 formed in an oscillating main-line valve-member 28 having a llat oifsetting bearing-surface 29 which rides directly upon the bearing-surface 16 and seal 16'L1 of the iXed valve-member 15 already described. The air-port 27 opens into a threaded socket 30 in a boss 31 offsetting from the oscillating valve-member 28, the said socket 30 receiving the threaded inner end of a couplingnipple 32, the projecting outer end of which receives the main air-pipe 33. The said oscillating valve-member 28 has bearing-hub 34 receiving a stud 85 mounted in the .fixed valve-member 15, in which it is secured by a nut 36. The stud projects beyond the hub 34 for the reception of a helical spring 37, retained on the said stud by a nut 38 and Vexerting a constant elort to maintain the acting with the cam-face 42 of a cup-shaped cam 43 having a hub 44 coupled by a key 45 and a'set-screiv 46 to the drive-shaft 20. The said oscillating valve-member 28 is also provided With a laterally-extending arm 49 vproviding for the attachment of the lower end of a helical operating-spring 50, the upl per end of Which is secured to a stud 51 in the fixed valve-member 15, the said spring exerting a constant eliort to swing the oscillating valve-member 28 into posit-ion for the registration of the air-ports 22 and 27 and to maintain the roller 41 in engagement With the cam-face 42 ci the cam 43.

vFor the urpose of holding the oscillating i valve-mem er 28 in its cut-out position, in

which its air-port 27 is out ot registration with the air-port 22, so as to seal the main air-pipe 33 to the atmosphere and open the extension air-pipe 26 thereto, I employ a pivotal latch 52 formed at its outer end with a nose 53 Vand also v:formed with a hub 54, by means of which it is mounted so as to rock upon a stud 55 in the oscillating valvemember 28, With which latter it has bodily movement. The opposite end of the said latch 52 is furnished with an armr provided for the attachment of a helical latchoperating spring 57, the lower end ot' Which is secured to a pin 58 oifsetting from the hub 34 of the oscillating valve-member 28. The spring 57 normally tends to lift the nose 53 of the latch 52 to the limit of the upward movement thereof, which is determined by a stop-pin 59 mounted in the valve-member 28 and located therein in position to be engaged by the lower edge of the said arm 56. The nose 53 of the latch 52 has its upper face beveled as at 60, whereby it is adapted to ride under a detent-arm 61 eX- tending outward from a hub 62 secured by means of a set-screw 63 to the rock-shaft 19,

vwhich is furnished with an upstanding operl ating-arm 64 secured to it by a pin 65 and constructed at its upper end with a fork' 66 receiving a pin 67', by means of which the armV 64 is connected With a horizontallyarranged pull-rod 68 carrying a ball-handle 69, as particularly shown in `Fig. 5, whereby the detent-arm 61 is manually moved into the path of the latch 52, which reciprocates in substantially a horizontal plane with the oscillation of the valve-member 28.

To limit the rocking movement of the rock-shaft 19 and hence of the detent-arm 61, the said shaft is provided at its outer end With a. hub 7() secured by a set-screw 71 to the said shaft and having corresponding depending bovved stop-arms 72H72 Which alternately engage With the opposite sides ot the hub 73 ot a drive-gear 74 on the outer end of the drive-shaft 20.

Fig. 1() is a diagrammatic illustration of an air-operated air-controlled sheet-'feeding system in which the air is controlled by unitary devices like the device already described, it being understood that this diagram is an illustration of one use of my invention.

Y In the diagram, an electric motor 75 is arranged to drive a vacuum-pump 76 and a pressure-pump 77, the former being connected by mainair-pipes 33 with the oscillating valve-members 28 ottavo of my iinproved control-units A and B. The extension air-pipe 26 of unit AeXtends to a pair of vacuum-operated sheet-forwarding fingers 78, While the extension air-pipe 26 of unit B extends to a-pair of vacuum-operated sheet-piclr-upV lingers 79.

The pressure-pump 77 aforesaid is connected by an air-pipe 8O withv a pressuretank 81 with which are connected the main air-pipes of a pair of my improved control-units C and D, yCorresponding in i constructionl and operation to the above-mentioned control-units A and B. The extension air-pipe 26 of unit C feeds compressed air to a `pair of sheet-flufiing nozzles 82-82 ot any approved construction and located lll) onopposite edges ot the sheet 3, While thev noted that whether my improved air-control units are installed for the control oit vacuum or compressed air, their main air-pipes are always sealed to the atmosphere when their extension air-pipes are open thereto, so that vthe vacuum or pressure, as the case may be,

built up in the main air-pipe, is not depleted or lowered when the Vextension air-pipe-` opened to thev atmospherer Y I claim: Y f

1. An air-control device Vfor air-operated sheet-feeding mechanisms, comprising a main air-pipe, an extension air-pipe, a valvemember connected With the said main airpipe, a` Vvalve-member connected with the .said airorts vvhereb the main airine a p l Iis sealed to the atmosphere and the extension air-pipe is opened thereto, and a detent for holding the said movable valvemember with its air-port out of registration With the air-port of the other member, the said detent operating only at one point and that at the completion or' any one cycle ot' the operation of the device.

2. An air-control device Jfor air-operated sheet-'feeding mechanisms, comprising a main-line valve-member and a complementary co-acting extension-line valve-member, one of which is movable with respect to the other; a main-line port in the said main-line valve-member and an extension-line port in the said extension-line valve-member; a main air-pipe and an extension air-pipe rcspectively connected to the said main-line port and the said extension-line port; a seal for the said main-line port; yielding means normally urging the movable valve-member into position to register the said ports; means for moving the said ports out of registration against the urge of the said yielding means; whereby when the said ports are moved ont of registration7 the said extension air-pipe is open to the atmosphere and the said main air-pipe is closed thereto by the said seal; and a manually-operable latching-mechanism for holding the said ports out of registration against the urge of the said yielding means.

3. An air-control device for air-operated sheet-feeding mechanisms; comprising a main-line valve-member and a complementary co-acting extension-line valve-member, one of which is movable with respect to the other; a main-line port in the said mainline valve-member and an extension-line port in the said extension-line valve-meniber; a main air-pipe and an extension airpipe respectively connected to the said mainline port and the said extension-line port; a seal for the said main-line port; yielding means normally urging the movable valvemember into position to register the said ports; mea-ns for moving the said ports out of registration against the urge of the said yielding means; whereby when the said ports are moved out of registration, the said extension air-pipe is open to the atmosphere and the said main air-pipe is closed thereto by the said seal; and a manually-operable latching-mechanism co-acting with the said movable valve-member to hold the said ports out of registration when the said movable valve-member reaches the limit of its movement in the direction of moving the said ports out of registration.

4. An air-control device for air-operated sheet-feeding mechanisms, comprising a main-line valve-member and a complementary cto-acting extension-line valve-member, one of which is movable with respect to the other; a main-line port in the said mainline valve-member and an extension-line port Iin the said extension-line valve-member; a main air-pipe and an extension air-pipe respectively connected to the said main-line port and the said extension-line port; a seal for the said main-line port; yielding means normally urging the movable valve-member into position to register the said ports; means for moving the said ports out of registration against the urge of the said yielding means; whereby When the said ports are moved out of registration7 the said extension air-pipe is, open to the atmosphere and the said main air-pipe is closed thereto by the said seal; a latch carried by the movable valve-member; and a manually-operable detent co-acting with the said latch for holding the ports out o'll registration against the counter-urge of the said yielding means.

5. An air-control device for air-operated sheet-feeding mechanisms, comprising a main-line valve-member and a complementary co-acting extension-line valve-member. one of lWhich is movable with respect to the other; a main-line port in the said main-line valve-member and an extension-line port in the said extension-line valve-member; a main air-pipe and an extension air-pipe respectively connected to the said main-line port and the said extension-line port; a seal for the said main-line port; yielding means normally urging the movable valve-member into position to register the said ports; means for moving the said ports out of registration against the urge of the said yielding means; whereby When the said ports are moved out of registration, the said eX- tension air-pipe is open to the atmosphere and the said main air-pipe is closed thereto by the said seal; a spring-actuated pivotal latch carried by the movable valve-member; and a manually-operable pivotal detent coacting with the said latch for holding the ports out of registration against the counterurge of the said yielding means.

6. An air-control device for air-operated sheet-feeding mechanisms, comprising a main-line valve-member and a complementary co-acting extension-line valve-member, one of which has oscillating movement with respect to the other; a spring for holding the said valve-members in co-acting engagement; a main-line port in the said main-line valve-member and an extension-line port in the said extension-line valve-member; a main air-pipe and an extension air-pipe respectively connected to the said main-line port and the said extension-line port; a seal for the said main-line port; means for oscil-A lating one of the said valve-members with respect to the other for moving the said ports into and out of registration; whereby when the said ports are moved out of registration, the said extension air-pipe is open to the atmosphere and the said main air-pipe is closed thereto by the said seal.

lil() and the said extension-line port; a seal yfor the seidV main-line port; and means for sliding one of the said valve-members with re spect to the other for moving the said ports into and out of registeration; whereby when the said ports are moved out of registration, the said extension air-pipe is open to the atmosphere and the said main air-pipe is closed thereto by the said seal. d

In testimony whereof, I have Signed this specification.

CHARLES W. TREMPER. 

